Amber SchultzUpdated June 24, 2026 — 7:11am,first published 7:00am7.11am‘Toxic’: Opposition criticises Albanese for working with GreensBy Amber SchultzOpposition Senate Leader Michaelia Cash has accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of making a “dirty deal with the “socialist Greens”. Speaking on Seven’s Sunrise, Cash criticised Labor for striking a deal with the Greens to expand an inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme reforms in exchange for tax reforms banning self-managed super funds from borrowing to invest in property.Housing Minister Clare O’Neil.Alex Ellinghausen“Labour have done, despite telling you that they would not, a dirty deal with the Socialist Greens, and those toxic taxes will go through the parliament tomorrow,” she said. “Say goodbye to aspiration and hard work in Australia, because Albanese is about to kill it.” 6.47amUS Senate votes to halt Iran war in rebuke to TrumpBy Patricia ZengerleWashington: The Republican-majority US Senate backed legislation to halt US military action against Iran, but it was not immediately clear how it would affect the war as President Donald Trump’s administration negotiates a peace agreement with the Islamic republic.The Senate voted 50-48 in favour of the concurrent resolution, which passed the House of Representatives this month, reflecting growing concern even among some of Trump’s Republicans about the unpopular conflict that began on February 28.It was the 10th time the Senate has tried to stop the war. The vote was nearly along party lines, with four Republicans joining all but one Democrat in favour. Two Republicans did not vote.The resolution directs Trump to remove US armed forces from hostilities with or against Iran, but is likely to remain merely a symbolic vote. Under the 1973 War Powers Act, the measure does not get sent to the White House for Trump’s signature.However, the White House has insisted the legislation is not constitutional and thus not binding. Legal experts say it remains a contested legal question likely to be settled in the courts.“The executive branch will likely ignore it on constitutional grounds, and it’s not clear who might have standing to sue to enforce it,” said Scott Anderson, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.Reuters6.47amIran agreed to infinite nuclear inspections, says Trump as UN begins evacuating seafarersBy Sarah McPheeUS President Donald Trump said Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections into “infinity”, despite Tehran’s denials, as the UN began efforts to evacuate hundreds of ships from the Gulf in a tentative return to calm after a fragile peace deal.Oil tankers and cargo vessels remain anchored off Port Sultan Qaboos around Qaboos Port earlier this week.Getty ImagesThe UN shipping agency said an evacuation plan to enable some 11,000 seafarers stuck aboard vessels in the Gulf to sail through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran effectively blocked during the war, was underway after the ceasefire deal between Washington and Tehran. “We have now started contacting the ships to start the evacuation,” a spokesperson for the UN’s International Maritime Organisation (IMO) said, without providing a timeframe, adding that the agency had secured “the necessary safety guarantees” and verified conditions for safe navigation.IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the “large-scale operation” would unfold in close cooperation with Iran, Oman, other coastal states, the US and the maritime industry.Meanwhile, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Tuesday Iranian officials had not held a meeting with International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi in Switzerland and had no plans for the UN nuclear watchdog to inspect Iran’s damaged nuclear facilities.Trump hit back on Tuesday at what he said were Iran’s “protestations and false statements”.“Iran has fully and completely agreed to highest level Nuclear inspections long into the future (Infinity!!!),” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.He also said any Iranian assets unfrozen under the deal would be placed in an escrow account and used to buy food and medical supplies from the US “including Corn, Wheat, and Soybeans from our great American Farmers”.6.47amThis morning’s headlines at a glanceBy Amber SchultzGood morning, and welcome to our national news live coverage for Wednesday, June 24. I’m Amber Schultz, and I’ll be keeping you up to date with today’s news. Here are today’s main headlines.NDIS report delayed: A report into the overhaul of the National Disability Insurance Scheme will likely be delayed for the third time, with a longer eight-week inquiry to take place after Labor struck a deal with the Greens. The proposed reforms to the $56 million scheme include reducing the number of participants by 160,000 by 2030.Paid parental leave extended: The government will extend paid parental leave from July 1, allowing families to access up to 26 weeks (six months) at a higher rate of pay. Parents will now receive $1004 per week. More families are also eligible, with the family income limit increasing to $386,525.Inflation expected to rise: Inflation is expected to increase despite falling fuel prices. Inflation data, expected today, may increase by 0.1 per cent thanks to higher input costs from the March closure of the Strait of Hormuz passed on to businesses. UN Peacekeepers withdrawn from Lebanon: Under pressure from the US, UN peacekeepers are being withdrawn from southern Lebanon, where they have served for over 50 years. The UN shipping agency is also enabling an evacuation plan to enable around 11,000 seafarers stuck aboard vessels in the Gulf to sail through the Strait of Hormuz.Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections, which Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian denies.1 of 1